Calm Before the Storm
by OathKeeper717
Summary: The last battle is drawing closer and Sora's worried not everyone will come out alive.. Oneshot.


Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts

 **Destiny Islands**

 _Once we step through, there's no going back._

That's what Riku once said right? That it came down to victory or oblivion?

Sora stared up at the night sky on the islands he called home, melancholy. The last battle was coming up, the fight that would decide the fate of each and every world, every star in the sky. Obviously there wasn't an exact date, no set time. But it could be felt. The winds themselves were tense as they blew, the chill causing the seventeen year old to pull up the hood of the jacket he was wearing.

Seven lights.

Thirteen darknesses.

"Things were so simple once." He murmured quietly. His life was filled with fun, sunny days on the beach, playing with his two best friends and dreaming of the worlds outside their own. But then Riku opened the door and the keyblade latched onto Sora, forcing his life down a new path filled with violence and danger. Of darkness and strife. Things weren't all bad, they weren't all doom and gloom, but peace was fleeting since that day and Sora…

..he was worried.

"Is something on your mind?"

The keyblade master (he was so official he had a badge, just like Riku's) turned his head, hearing the question and recognizing the female voice that went with it.

"Sort of." He replied to the blonde girl stepping up next to him. Her face was kind and her white dress fluttered in the wind. Naminé thoroughly enjoyed being her own person, a somebody. Sora had spent a whole year with Donald and Goofy tirelessly tracking down the mythical key that could return people's hearts. He had expecting it to be a literal keyblade like Riku had once fought him with in Radiant Garden (then called Hollow Bastion) but it turned out to be so much more than that. It was light, the purest of ancient magics. By accepting the power into his heart he had changed, he had grown. He was able to see what couldn't be seen before, do what couldn't be done. Restoring Roxas, Xion, Ven and Naminé hadn't taken very long after that (although naturally the road was filled with complications, as always).

"What's the matter?" Naminé looked at him with a mixture of curiosity and concern in her eyes. They had promised to be friends for real, pinky promised. The duo had been doing their best to fulfill it ever since the Light had reconnected the chains of memory in Sora's heart that was once lost.

"It's going to happen soon," Sora said quietly "Xehanort is going to strike."

Seven lights. Riku. Aqua. Roxas. Lea. Mickey. Ventus and himself. Seven would face down the dark.

Some wouldn't come home.

"Do you not think we can win?" Naminé asked, staring across the ocean.

"I'm afraid we won't all make it back in one piece." Sora replied "We're pretty badly outnumbered."

They were strong, each and every one of them. But the old man was playing for keeps this time. No one fought him and walked away without scars. Terra was living proof of that. Even though he housed his master's heart inside of him. Even though his own power soared when he mastered twilight…

"Mmmph!"

Naminé's hands were soft. Sora's mind was yanked away from his somber thoughts when the girl took his face in her hands and forced him to smile in a silly way. It was the same thing he had once done a long time ago, when it was she who was sad and he grabbed her face.

"That sad look doesn't suit you." Naminé informed him "That pessimistic look shouldn't ever be in your eyes Sora."

He wanted to reply, he really did, but it was hard to do that when Naminé wouldn't move her hands.

"The seven of you? You're going to win." She said, voice firm in her conviction "You'll face down Xehanort and his Organization and you'll crush them, just like you always do."

Sora stepped backwards, freeing himself "But-"

"No buts!" the blonde shook her head, looking as fierce as she could "You've faced worse odds before, but you've never backed down. Never doubted that at the end of the day you'd be standing at the top. No one's going to die and with that power that Ansem lead you to? Xehanort and his lackeys will be wishing they had stayed dead."

Sora stared at her for a long minute. Mulling over what she said. Being a little shocked at her unwavering confidence in him. His heart lightened a little, confidence trickling through his veins. Naminé looked satisfied, taking a step forward and taking one of his gloved hands in her own.

"We've finally done it," She said quietly "We're finally friends for real. No lies, no manipulation. Just you and me. You know how I know you'll stop Xehanort? Because you never break a promise. Because you promised to protect me from everything that could harm me, my new good luck charm."

"A universe destroying keyblade war isn't exactly safe." Sora remembered the false memory of making that promise. He also remembered declaring that it was real to him and he'd honor it "Looks like I don't have much choice but to stop it huh?"

Naminé smiled "None."

Sora returned the smile "In that case, just wait Naminé. We'll stop them and then everyone will come back home again. I promise!"

The dark wouldn't ever stop trying to pull the light down. Xehanort wasn't going to give up without a fight. But it didn't matter anymore, Sora refused to be afraid. He promised that he was going to win, so he would.

His promises to her were forever after all.


End file.
